The economy really does suck, DC is really changing, and Apple is really equipped to take on Twitter – oh and Rovio is really freaking serious. Plenty of geek news!
Economics/Geekonomics:
MUST READ:Are we on the verge of an even Greater Depression? TONS of articles, statistics, and video to take a look at the US in the Great Reset. My takeaway from this is that for some we're in a Recession, but for some we're really in a serious depression, and in all cases there hasn't been enough addressing of the fundamentals. I also think the reason the impact hasn't been worse is due to the safety measures put in place since the Great Depression.
To add to the sad, The Pace Of The US Recovery is slowing.
Comics:
The goal of DC comics reboot seems to pretty much be freshening the brand and getting new readers. So with that obvious statement, let me also add that I think this strategy smells of a larger media strategy, seeking relevance as well as a new audience and integrated properties. This also could yield future job opportunities as media efforts combine and come into being – and they want to have people that know how to take advantage of them. I also sense the desire to make a more understandable, accessible continuity.
Also apparently DC female heroines are going trouser-centric. That little pantyflash-reducing tidbit is actually telling – it's likely to keep appeal broad, family-esque, and reduce some of the "superstripper" looks artists have occasionally created.
Mobile:
Nokia's CEO Elop says that Nokia is getting hammered in China, and Android is part of it. This is not a reassuring statement for investors or employees considering recent events. Despite their size they're really not having a good time, and I think they're unsure of the future (which explains the Microsoft alliance). No wonder there's rumor Microsoft may buy their smartphone business.
Social Media:
Twitter adds photosharing features as part of new functionality they're releasing today.
Google's +1 button continues to expand You'll want to pay attention to this.
Technology:
Thought provoker – Apple has the infrastructure to compete with Twitter. Just something to get your mind working.
10 Hidden Features of Windows – With the unhidden feature they're clearly inspired by Apple. Still a lot of this seems to be good additions, and seems to make Windows more of a friendly, ecosystem-oriented OS. Not enough definition of some though, so keep watching.
Video:
Hulu is going to show Miramax films – in a multi-year deal and just yesterday we were reporting on how they were adding more ads. Of course Mirimax seems to want to sign on as many people as possible, so this is good for them, and for Hulu, unavoidable.
Video Games:
Rovio acquires animation studio Kombo. An obvious choice for a company with ambitions (and multimedia ones at that). As they consolidate talent, it does make their ambitions much easier to realize, though I think it remains to be seen if they can turn Angry Birds into something greater. Keep an eye on who else they buy (it might be your company).
Angry Birds is going to end up on Roku. Wait, what? Yeah, my reaction too. No idea what they're doing, if there are new peripherals, etc. Of course Roku is battling in a weird and crowded market, so this may be an edge – and it's not like Angry Birds isn't a seller. Is Roku trying to be a bit of a game machine? A lifestyle device? I have no idea.
Amazon's Android store gets Plants Versus Zombies. There's a big title, and a glimpse further into their strategy of doing cool, big stuff to get attention. A speculation – the Amazon Android story may actually try to be more selective to build on quality.
QUESTION OF THE DAY: So could Apple compete with Twitter?